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IWTC Global Net: news and developments about the Fourth World Conference on Women and NGO Forum

GlobalNet # 17

15 June 1995

IF YOU ARE GOING TO BEIJING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BED TO GET A VISA

With faxnet #17, we are sending out the NEW HOTEL RESERVATION FORM for all participants who are planning to go to the NGO Forum on Women. Because of the change of site, everyone must fill out this new reservation form. The OLD FORMS ARE NO LONGER VALID, i.e. forget about them and start again!

NGO Forum on Women participants have a choice of requesting accommodation in Huairou (i.e. near the NGO Forum site) or in Beijing (i.e. near the World Conference site). Those that choose Beijing will be transported to Huairou on the days they want to attend the Forum. The China Organizing Committee (COC) RencouragesS Forum participants to stay in hotels/accommodation in Huairou so they wonUt have to spend so much time traveling. Participants accredited to the World Conference are RencouragedS to stay in Beijing hotels.

To get a visa, you must have a hotel confirmation letter from the COC, plus your registration letter from the NGO Forum Office. It is therefore extremely important if you intend to participate in the NGO Forum on Women, or are planning to be an Observer as an accredited NGO to the World Conference, that you SEND IN YOUR NEW HOTEL RESERVATION FORM IMMEDIATELY!

We particularly ask that those groups who do receive this e-mail, or who receive the New Hotel Reservation Form in any other way (fax, mail, e-mail, electronic conferences, etc.) pass the form on to as many groups and individuals as possible who are planning to participate in Beijing. Note that the NGO Forum on Women Office will send the new hotel reservation form by fax, e-mail and post to all registered participants of the Forum. But time is very short, and we do not want the lack of a bed to stop anyone from participating.

MIXED FEELINGS OVER SITE DECISION

We are hearing from women and groups from all over the world, and so far, most seem to have accepted the change of site...but not without some feelings of regret that China missed out on this opportunity to host women of the world in downtown Beijing, where it has been planned for three years as an integral part of the Fourth World Conference on Women. Women showed enormous solidarity and momentum during these past two months of lobbying and campaigning for a more appropriate site, resulting no doubt in a number of concessions (inc. visas for all, acceptance of the total number registered, provision of additional buildings/tents/spaces in Huairou so that all activities requested could be accommodated, provision of a second RsatelliteS site in Beijing, etc.). But the main stumbling block remains: removal to a far-away location where close contact between delegates and NGOs, media and Forum activities will be difficult. NGOs will try to overcome these difficulties. We will have our Forum and get on with the business of organizing, mobilizing, lobbying and making change.

New Hotel Reservation Form posted separately.

International Women's Tribune Centre
777 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel: (1-212) 687-8633
Fax: (1-212) 661-2704
e-mail: iwtc@igc.apc.org

This faxnet comes from IWTC, a women's development support group set up following the NGO forum (called IWY Tribune) held parallel to the First World Conference on Women in Mexico City, 1975. Global Faxnet has been set up by IWTC to get news quickly to women worldwide about the NGO Forum.